I managed to receive a weak signal from 87.8 Pulse FM Kingston inside Hobart Airport today. That’s pretty good going considering airports are usually pretty average for any radio reception. I mention this because I know there is (was?) a forum member that’s involved.
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I think Josh would be pretty pleased to hear that. He’s done really well for a kid, if only he could run SCA.
He’s currently working with some of the biggest names in audio processing (including Leif from Omnia), to make radio sound better, & he’s got the audio quality on Pulse FM sounding awesome.
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Brisbane AM narrowcast licence, AM 1053, the pre FM home of 4EB, has a new program on air:
Vision radio.
It had been off air for some weeks once the Indian program ended.
Prior to the Indians, it began broadcasting Italian from the Abruzzo club on Fursden Road, Carina. During that time, shifted to the BA site Tingalpa, former 4BK site.
Any reason why local tourist radio narrowcasts are now all religious broadcasts? When did they all seem to cease? The signs are all up for them still.
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I’m guessing those licences were purchased by Seventh Day Adventist Church, who seem to operate most of them.
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I unfortunately noticed this the other night - 1053 had been clear for a while which had been nice, allowed for 2CA reception at distance. They already cover most of Brisbane on the <88MHz band so only God knows why they need to occupy a city-wide licence on AM (pun certainly intended) - just another example of wasted use of broadcast spectrum, though on AM maybe not so valuable I guess
I know it’s been said here before, but 4EB resuming 1053kHz wouldn’t be a bad outcome for Brisbane radio as it would gift another high-powered FM frequency to the city. In fact, even a straight swap with 4KQ could service the Brisbane public very well
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About as much chance of that as the Geelong football club relocating to Colac.
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Because money talks, it annoys me that they buy all the LPON up and stop people who want to have a go at providing local program from been able to do so simply cause they have the money to win the auction and get the monopoly of the LPON band.
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Why are there even in band narrowcast frequencies being assigned?
We have very congested spectrum and a need for more choice on radio. It should be used for community stations that can meet community participation/relevance and local content rules, or commercial radio, where there is a real economic incentive to meet community needs.
Off band, I’d like to see ownership limits - but I suppose they’d just avoid it with proxy companies…
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Yep, exactly. So the aspirants who might want to have a go are left out, so either have to go battle with the politics of one of the local community stations (if you’re lucky enough to have one), or risk pirating and copping a whopping great fine when you’re inevitably caught
FWIW, give them 1053 for all I care, let them have their wide reach. But don’t let them have both that AND a near-monopoly on the entire narrowcast band in a capital city
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A two transmitter licence limit would be a great idea for LPONs; they would no longer be a cheap vehicle for commercial operations to gain revenue (TAB, Vision, Kix Country etc.). The shell company loophole could be closed by introducing control rules similar to that for commercial broadcasting services, but this might be pretty onerous for the regulator to follow up.
You would have niche broadcasting with plenty of locally tailored programming- exactly the intention of the scheme when it was introduced with the Broadcasting Services Act in 1992.
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Better use of the spectrum and opening up new licences would also work #justsayin
I think the decision to remove the 5 year term for narrowcast licences is part of the problem. They should be a fixed five years after which there is an auction and the incumbent (or any related entities) cannot re-bid.
According to the website - it looks Radio Rhythm as they were known - have moved down the dial to 1665AM.
According to the ACMA database - 1665AM is now owned by a “Suneel R Assi”- with the ABC Bald Hills transmitter site listed as the location.
And it also says the 1053AM licence is still owned by Gumnut Nominees, whom run the original Rete Italia radio network. My general assumption is they just lease out the frequency these days.
Also worth noting that Vision still also own the 1674AM licence which is based at Yatala. And that 1611AM has changed hands from the long-term owner Flora Smith who tried to get Hospital Radio up and running for a couple of decades. It’s now owned by “Tri-Vision Media - 3VM Pty Ltd” - a domain lookup of the website reveals it to registered to Joseph Safi of the Consortium of Australian Media Services, whom used to run Flame FM in Bankstown.
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Thanks @glen2006 for looking up the database, had only enough time to publish the post and no more to have a look.
Has 1665 been on air in Brisbane before? Bald Hills site is perfect as it’s the required 30km from 1656 in Sunnybank Hills (cnr Calam and Compton Rds, mast sways in the wind).
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1629am in Melbourne plays Music from the 60’s to the 90’s, Radio Nostalgia Broadcasting From the UK.
Are you sure from UK? What website?
Radio Nostalgia gives out a (seemingly) Aussie mobile ph number for requests (04xxxxxxx) whilst in UK
their mobile ph numbers begin with 07 prefix supposedly.
Just curious.
801 Rete Italia Gosford is off the air totally at the moment… No blank carrier or anything.
Not sure what’s up there.
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On a recent trip to Delegate NSW, noticed they have vision FM on 88.0. My guess by its range it would be likely 1 watt of power. Also noted that there no LPONs on air at Thredbo (87.6, 87.8 or 88.0)
1620 is back on air on the Gold Coast. Italian I think, couldn’t be sure, it is terribly distorted. I am amazed the tech who turned it on wouldn’t have immediately tuned it off upon realising how shambolic it sounded.